Bookmark
by Katsprite2
Summary: Fairy Tail is holding a dance. A mandatory one. It seems like finding a partner might be hard enough as it is, but what happens when the guild members are told that they can't verbally ask someone to go with them? GaLe, NaLu. Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and all associated characters and settings belong to Hiro Mashima.


"Why are we all here?" The blue-haired solid-script mage, Levy McGarden asked her friend, Lucy. The blonde celestial spirit mage shrugged, just as confused as she was.  
"Master Makarov said there was a mandatory meeting, but he didn't explain why."  
It seemed that nobody else knew the purpose of the meeting, either.  
Amid all the ruckus, Mirajane Strauss, the snowy-haired barmaid and one of the S-class wizards of Fairy Tail stepped up.  
"Ahem," Mira cleared her throat and the guild went silent. "Hello everyone! I'm sure you're all wondering why we called you here." There was a mass of nodding and a few murmurs of _'get on with it'_ as Mira paused.  
"That's because: In three days..." Mirajane continued slowly, seeming to be loving the suspense, "Fairy Tail will be having a mandatory dance!"  
There was a mix of excited faces and groans in the crowd. Makarov, the tiny master of Fairy Tail added, "But there is a catch!" Causing the guild hall to once again fall silent.  
Continuing, Makarov said, "It is also mandatory for each member of Fairy Tail to have a dance partner—but you are _not_ allowed to verbally ask your partner to the dance!" The Master concluded this statement with a bow and he and Mirajane left to occupy their usual stations.  
There was a muttering in the crowd as it dispersed, leaving Levy free to look around. As she did so, she noticed that some people had already gained partners, asking them with a simple glance and a nod.  
Levy's eyes wandered to the dark figure of Gajeel Redfox. The iron dragonslayer was otherwise preoccupied with eating a metal bolt, seemingly undeterred by the news of a mandatory dance.

"Levy! Go to the dance with me!"  
"No, go with me!"  
Levy turned to see Jet and Droy, her two teammates, scrabbling over her.  
"Aren't you supposed to ask me non-verbally?" Levy reminded them. She saw a look of comprehension dawn on their faces, but before either of them could manage to do anything, she left to go find Lucy.  
The blonde mage was being cornered by three guys who were all trying to hand her pieces of paper.  
"Lu-chan!" Levy called through the wall of desperate men, "Over here!"  
Lucy looked up as she heard Levy's voice. Squeezing her way through the guys, Lucy joined her. "Thanks, Levy. You really saved me there!"  
"Any time!" Levy responded, "Hey, do you think Natsu will ask you to the dance?"  
Lucy sighed, "No, I think he's got a thing for Lisanna." Levy couldn't help but notice the obvious sadness on her friend's face.  
"Well don't let your hopes down! Maybe you could ask him!"  
"I dunno..." Lucy glanced up at the fire dragonslayer. He was sitting at the table, conversing with Happy, the blue Exceed.

* * *

When Levy entered the guild the next morning, she sat at a table and opened her book. Soon, she was so immersed in the thick volume that she became ignorant of her surroundings.  
The next time she looked up (a good several minutes later), she was shocked to see Lucy deep in conversation with a dragonslayer—but not Natsu. Even though she couldn't hear them, Levy could tell that Gajeel was listening intently to whatever Lucy was ranting about.  
Levy felt a surge of jealousy rush through her chest. Why was Gajeel talking to Lucy?  
As Levy was brainstorming how this phenomenon could have happened, Lucy walked over to her.  
"Hey, Levy!" Lucy said as she took a seat next to her, "Whatcha reading?"  
"Magikal Grammatica of the Third Century." Levy responded mechanically, still baffled as to why Lucy and Gajeel could have been conversing.  
"Wow, you're almost done, huh?" Lucy asked, noticing the amount of pages she had left.  
"Yeah," Levy sighed, "Unfortunately I don't have the next volume. It isn't out in stores until tomorrow, but I'm helping Mira set up so my schedule is booked until Saturday."  
Lucy nodded, taking in this information.  
Looking at her curiously, Levy asked, "So what were you and Gajeel talking about?"  
"Oh, nothing much." Lucy blew off the question, obviously lying. "Well I've gotta go now! See you later!" Levy watched as her friend stood and walked back to the iron dragonslayer.  
Instead of focusing back on her book, Levy watched as Lucy suspiciously scribbled something on a sheet of paper. She handed it to Gajeel and—Wait... She couldn't be... She _couldn't_ be asking him to the dance! Could she?  
Levy's heart plummeted as she saw Gajeel look at the note, then at Lucy, and then nod. How could this have happened? Lucy had never shown any interest in Gajeel before, nor had he her. So why were they suddenly coupling up? It made no sense.  
Levy closed her book and hurriedly exited the guild. Had she been a little more perceptive, she would have noticed Natsu watching the pair from another table, a heartbroken expression on his face.

* * *

Levy flopped onto her bed and pulled her book up to her chest, curling around it like it was a stuffed animal. She tried to look at her situation logically, but she couldn't see any other reason for Lucy to write a note for Gajeel. No, it had to be that she had asked him to the dance. Levy remembered how Lucy had given up so quickly when Levy suggested Natsu might ask her. Was it because she already had her sights on someone else?  
Levy pushed herself into a sitting position. She really liked Gajeel, she wasn't denying it anymore. It was possible that she would have built up the courage and asked him to the dance, but now that he was being all buddy-buddy with Lucy, she didn't see the point in trying.  
A growling sound came from Levy's stomach and she realized it was already lunchtime. She would go to the guild for food. At least there were other people there if she decided to talk about her problems.

* * *

Thursday, the day before the dance, Levy entered the guild. She had promised Mira that she'd help put up decorations for the dance. She looked around for the barmaid and found her at her usual spot behind the bar.  
"Hi Mira!" Levy called as she walked over to the bar.  
"Oh, Levy!" Mira looked up, "Thanks for coming! Once Juvia gets here we'll start setting up."  
At that moment, a girl with pale skin and long blue hair that was curled at the ends walked up. "Juvia is here."  
"Great!" Mira clapped her hands. "Okay, we need to hang some lights, but it's hard for one person alone, so Juvia, could you and Levy take these light strands and hang them up around the perimeter of the guild?"  
Levy and Juvia nodded, taking the lights. The two of them started at a corner of the guild.  
Juvia let out a heavy sigh and Levy looked at her questioningly,  
"Is something wrong, Juvia?" Levy asked.  
"Juvia wants to ask her beloved Gray-sama to the dance, but she fears that Love-Rival will ask him first." Juvia looked sad as she said this. So did Levy, but for another reason.  
"I don't think Lucy is going with Gray." She responded.  
Juvia perked up at this comment. "Really? Then Juvia might have a chance!"  
Juvia was bubbly the entire rest of the time they were decorating, leaving Levy to be sad in silence.  
Once Levy, Juvia, and Mira had finished decorating, Levy found Lucy sitting—thankfully alone—at a table.  
"Hi, Lu-chan!" Levy said, sitting next to her.  
"Oh, hi Levy! Are you finished decorating?"  
"Yep!" Levy stretched. "So what's up?"  
"Not much," Lucy replied, "I've been thinking I should go on a mission soon."  
"Oh?" Levy asked, "Why is that?"  
"Rent is due soon and Natsu blew all our money from the last mission." Lucy laughed  
"Typical Natsu." Levy stated, "Speaking of which, has he asked you to the dance yet?"  
Lucy opened her mouth to respond, but at that moment, Gajeel walked into the guild. Not taking her eyes off of him, Lucy stood up. "I've gotta go, Levy. See ya!"  
"W-wait! Lu-chan!" Levy protested, but Lucy was already too far away to hear. The blonde mage said something to Gajeel and he shook his head, responding with a short sentence.  
Levy gaped as she watched Lucy grab onto Gajeel's wrist and pull him out of the guild with a smile. What on Earth could they be doing?

"Natsu, just do it!" Levy looked up as she heard Happy shouting at Natsu.  
The salamander was waving his arms in protest as he muttered something unintelligible.  
"Fine!" Happy's childish voice somehow sounded intimidating. "If you won't do it, _I_ will!" And at that, the blue Exceed flew out of the guild. Natsu stared after him, aghast, then slammed his head on the table.

* * *

It was almost sundown when Levy finally exited the guild. Nose in a book, she walked a few steps and ran smack into someone big. Looking up, Levy let out a squeak as the form of the iron dragonslayer stood above her,  
"G-Gajeel!" Levy voiced, "Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was..." Her words trailed off when she noticed the figure of Lucy standing behind him.  
"Hey, Levy." Lucy said, "Gajeel and I were just—" But she never finished her sentence because after over a day of holding it in, Levy finally snapped.  
"I don't care!" the tiny, blue haired girl shouted, "I don't care what you've been doing! Because obviously you two are together now and that's just great!" But she didn't sound pleased at all.  
"What?" Gajeel growled at the same time Lucy said, "No, Levy!" But Levy wasn't having either of them. She was about to continue when Gajeel interrupted.  
"I got this for you." He said, irked, and pulled a book out of a bag he was carrying. It was the new book Levy had told Lucy about the previous day. "Take it."  
"W-what?" Levy asked, suddenly quiet.  
"Just take the damn book!" Gajeel shoved the book into Levy's chest and stormed into the guild.  
Levy stood, shocked, staring at the book. The newly introduced silence seemed louder than when the air had been filled with shouting.  
"Open it." Lucy said in a small voice.  
"What...?"  
"Open it." She repeated. Levy did so, finding a loose piece of paper inside the front cover. On it was a note written in Gajeel's untidy scrawl: _**Will you go to the dance with me?**_

* * *

"He wanted to ask you," Lucy said, her voice calm but not masking the tears in her eyes, "But he didn't know how—he wanted to do it nicely this time—so he came to me."  
Levy could feel tears running down her cheeks as Lucy continued.  
"Looking back on it, I can understand how it might have looked like we were together but I promise it wasn't intentional."  
Levy was taken aback by Lucy's words. "I've been an idiot... Lu-chan—I've gotta go." She turned back and raced into the guild.  
Searching for Gajeel, Levy found him glumly sitting in a corner. At hearing her footsteps, Gajeel looked up.  
"What do you want?"  
"I want to accept your invitation," Levy started, "And... I wanted to apologize. I had no right to shout at you like that." She finished with a bow of her head.  
There were a few awkward seconds of silence before it was broken by Gajeel.  
"So... you'll go with me?"  
"Yeah." Levy said, looking back up.  
Gajeel's face looked almost unchanged except for the slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.

* * *

Epilogue

The guild members filed one by one out of Fairy Tail. The dance had actually been a lot of fun and the decorations were amazing. Gajeel had been pretty awkward during the whole affair, but he managed. Lucy ended up going with Natsu—but only after Happy told her that Natsu was too chicken to ask (this statement was followed by the smell of singed cat hair). Levy had an enjoyable time and she was excited to go home and continue reading her new book. She hadn't discarded Gajeel's note. In fact, it was her current bookmark.

* * *

A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks for reading! This is something I did individually. I'd had this idea in my head for a while and I'm really happy that I have it finished now. I'm not going to continue this, it's just a one chapter thing. Thank you all for your support! Love you all!


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